Sexaffectivity in Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Sexaffectivity in Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Observed Behaviors and Referred Needs in Adolescence

The WHO defines sexual health as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being, related to sexuality, not only the absence of illness, dysfunction or disability. To acquire and maintain adequate sexual health, the sexual rights of all people must be respected, protected and fully exercised.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present difficulties in the development of social interaction skills, among other problems that directly affect their sexual health. The consolidated prejudices and social myths related to the sexual affectivity of people with ASD, and in general to people with intellectual diversity, have meant that they do not pay any attention to the sexual health of this group in the assessment of their needs.

Main objectives: to understand the experience lived by young people with ASD and their caregivers in relation to the affective needs during adolescence and to know the cognitive and behavioral expression of the affective dimension of adolescents with ASD.

Mixed simultaneous design: qualitative based on the phenomenological paradigm, in order to establish the perceived needs of young adults with ASD, their families and the professionals who attend them, with the realization of focus groups and in-depth interviews. The second quantitative part will be developed in adolescents (12-18 years) and their families, evaluating the habitual behaviors and difficulties of Interaction in the affective expression, by means of questionnaires and self-administered scales. It will be necessary to sign the Informed Consent by all the participants, with the specific acceptance of the project by the CEIC of the investigator's center.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Sexual Behavior; Adolescent Development; Autistic Disorders Spectrum; Sexual Inadequacy

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 200

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Barcelona
    • Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain, 08208
      • Recruiting
      • Jordi Torralbas Ortega
      • Contact: Jordi Torralbas Ortega, MSc; Phone Number: +34-937458221; Email: jorditorralbas@hotmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Boys and girls with ASD who want to participate in the collection of a scale with their families. Ages between 12 years old and 18 years old.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents with ASD. 12-18 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non defined

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Ecologic or Community
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sexual Behaivor Scale	The measure utilized was developed specifically for this research - the Sexual Behaviour Scale (SBS; see Appendix) - and was based upon previous studies and the issues these studies identified (cf. Haracopos and Pedersen, 1992; Ruble and Dalrymple, 1993). The SBS examined parents' reports of their child's: (1) social behaviour; (2) privacy awareness; (3) sex education; and (4) sexual behaviour; as well as (5) parental concerns about outcomes for their child.	12-18 years old

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hospital Parc Taulí, Sabadell

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 11, 2018
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): February 11, 2020
• Study Completion (Anticipated): July 11, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 7, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): August 10, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 10, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2018
• Last Verified: August 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2018/509

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No